Mass Transit - 18

OMNITRANS
and public transit agencies, gather
for a weekly net exercise on Thursday mornings to test the network's
capabilities. This also gives members a chance to share news and
updates, and to be trained on how
to operate the network as the position of the net control station
operator rotates monthly.
In addition to the weekly net
exercise, IVECS members, along
with Omnitrans, participate in
the regional annual Great ShakeOut, an earthquake drill that's
held on Oct. 17. While IVECS
hasn't been used during a real
emergency, it has been tested
during this event.
Omnitrans is also focused on
enhancing the safety and security
of day-to-day operations for employees, passengers and pedestrians. To do this, the agency has
applied improvements to a variety of technology, equipment and
training programs.
For instance, the agency has
been adding audible turn signals
to all its buses since 2015. The audible turn signals alert pedestrians in close proximity when the
bus is turning by announcing in
English and Spanish "caution, bus
is turning." A second feature was
later installed for an added safety
measure. This is a light to warn
pedestrians wearing earbuds or
who have a hearing disability.
When the bus makes a turn, a
strobe flashes in conjunction with
the announcement.
Director of Operations Shawn
Brophy says improvements have
also been made to the mobility securement systems on all buses for
passengers with disabilities. Omnitrans upgraded to the Q-Pod
three-belt ratcheting securement
system and a rear-facing securement station. The securement
system prohibits tipping by tightening the mobility device to the
side wall. Passengers can access
the rear-facing station by backing into a padded backrest, setting the brake or powering off the
device and lowering a restraining

18 |

bar. A belt can then be attached to
the bar to prevent rolling.
"Efforts to safeguard our
customers and our employees
is integral to the Omnitrans
mission," said Deputy General
Manager Erin Rogers. "A strong
safety culture gives our customers confidence in the system so
they will continue to use transit
in their daily lives."
Omnitrans is also piloting
automated collision avoidance
technology.
"We are currently testing the
Mobileye Advanced Driver Assistance System which provides
driver protection to help avoid
accidents via early warning device," said Director of Maintenance Connie Raya. "The system
can detect movements in blind
spots that may be missed by a
coach operator trying to scan all
the various hazards."
The agency will likely go
through a competitive procurement process next year to implement the system for the entire fleet.
Safety programs in place also
target coach operator trainees. In
2014, the agency acquired a bus
simulator through a Workforce
Development grant and a partnership with the Leonard Transportation Center at California
State University, San Bernardino.
Trainees test their skills as
the simulator mimics different
driving hazards and potentially

Mass Transit | MassTransitmag.com | NOVEMBER 2019

THE AGENCY
uses the Q-Pod
three-belt
ratcheting
securement
system and
a rear-facing
securement
station.

dangerous situations. Typically,
between 60 and 70 coach operators will train on the simulator
annually and it is primarily used
to teach and reinforce "good
driving habits such as checking
mirrors, proper braking, using
turn signals, lane control [and]
scanning for road hazards," according to Rogers.
Additionally, Brophy says
Omnitrans "streamlines the
process" to receive a commercial
driver's license by employing two
DMV-certified examiners as fleet
safety trainers.
Omnitrans has also introduced "Stop the Bleed" and "Active Shooter" training. Bleeding
control stations and AEDs were
purchased for all the agency's
facilities. This past year, Brophy
says an AED was used when an
employee lost consciousness and
believes it's what kept him alive
while the paramedics responded.

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